Spring.



nia, have invented certain new .moving on each other.

EDWN E. ELIGE., 01? WESTMNT EGEOUGH, PENN@YLVANM.

SPRING.

adsense.'

speotcation of Lettera Patent.

Application tiled 'February 28, 19M. Serial No. ailjtt.

borough ot `Westmont, inv the county' ot y Cambria and State`v of Pennsylvania, whose post-ottice address is Johnstown, Pennsylva- Improvements in Springs; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such 'asf will enable others skilled in the art to which it a )pertains topinake and use the same.

hiv invention relates to a special form of springs which are adapted for' use in the draft rigging of railway cars, for the truck `or bolster springs of cars of different kinds; 'for use on automobiles,

wagons or vehicles of every description, and v`inv fact my springs can be used in any place where springs are used requiring strength and resiliency.

My springs are formed of comparatively thin plates of steel which may be square or rectangular or of other outline, and each plate is provided with corrugations or waves, the axes of which are preferably parallel to each other. so that each corrugation acts asa spring when compressed. l use a number of these corrugated spring plates, the corrugations of which are disposed angularly with respect to the corrugations of the adjoining plates, in such a way thatl the projectingr portions of the contacting plates are adapted to press against each other so that-each plate forms an abutment against which its adjoining plate operates. l may make my corrugated spring plates single, or if it. is desired to have greater spring action. l may make them laminated, that is, composed ot two or more corrugated plates nested withineach other, the corrugations of each compound lplate .being substantially parallel., By reason of this construction,A `my corrugated spring platesact in withstanding stresses, first' by spring action of the corrugated portions, Iwhich. when subjected'to pressure, tend to the elasticity and fiatten out or become straight, and in addition to this the movement of one corrugated spring on the adjoining spring is attended with a considerable' amount of frictional resistance. so that my group of corrugated springs acts'both by the elasticity of the spring plates in bending.- and b v the friction of the contacting parts of the saine when 1n addition to this it should be noted that the bending or iexand usefulv ure of each corrugated portion or my spring has the tendency to` produce an arch action, in that a thrust or compressive torce is carried4 throughthe curved portion of each corrugationin. such a., way as to counteract to a certain extent the tensilel forces of that side o the spring plate, which is subject to tensile stresses. rThis arch action therefore tends to lessen the tensile stresses vwhich are due to bending and makes each plate more rataataa nay is, aars.,

serviceable and capable' of with-standing the stresses and performing its tunctionsas described. i

I prefer 'to make my platesot hard or spring steel which is rolled or pressed to form, either before or after being cut to lengths, and these plates are preferably hardened by heating themto the proper temperature dependent upon their composition,` then quenching in oil or other cooling'mediam and afterward the temper is drawn to the required degree by heating them to a temperature less than that before'quenching. ll may also gire my spring plates special -treatment by double heating, double 'quenching, and drawing the temper, which, with some kinds ot steel, will produce a more amorphous structure and one that is very well adapted to serve the purposes intendedf may also make the depths ot the corrugations in my spring plates such that when leach plate is flattened or nearly flattened hy the pressure to which it is subjected, the. stresses-in the same will just about equal the proper 'working stress for this class ot material` and this mode of construction will insure that the plates remain intact and capable of the best and longest service.

This application is a continuation in part of my application tiled October' 30th, 19.13, Serial No. 798,178.

Haring thus given a general of my invention, I will now, in order to make the matter more clear` refer to the accompanyingv one sheet of drawings which vso description forms part of this specification and in which like characters refer to like parts.

Figure 1 is a side or plan view of my corrugated springs as assembled for use in one forni. each spring being formed of a plate of substantially uniform thickness. Fig. '.2 is a cross section, on an enlarged scale, of a modified form of one of my springs showing it of varying thicknesses proportionate to the stresses and detiections to which it will be subjected in use. Fig. 3 is a top plan or vside view of a group of my springs assemsimilar to Fig. 4, but each spring is formed two-ply or laminated. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, withf'the exception that in this view, the laminated springs are three-ply. Fig. 7 is a side'o'r plan view showing another arrangement of my springs, each of which has about' one, or a little more than one corrugation. Fig. 8 is ai cross sectional elevation of a group of my springs,`on a reduced scale, showing a casing surrounding them, itl-11S.` View being taken on the line i vii'ivdv'ii of rig. 9. Fig. 9 isa longitudinal cross sectional elevation of a group of my corrugated springs showing .the casing s1urounding them in cross section and the springs in side elevation, this View being taken on the line IX-IX of Fig. 1.1. Fig. l() is a perspective View ofthe movable portion of the spring casing. Fig. 11j-is a side or top plan View ol. a casing containing a group of my springs.

Referring now to they characters of refy erence on thel drawings, the thicker end spring is indicated as 1, immediately adjacent to which is another one of equal thickness indicated as :2. The axes of direction of the corrugations of these separate pieces 1 and 2 are angularly disposed with respect to eachother, and in this particular view this angle is substantially' a right angle. 1t will thus be seen that the projecting portion of one eorrugation rests. against the corresponding projection of the corrugation on the opposite spring, so that these lines or slight surfaces of contact. `rv pres-sing thesel springs. the one numbered/1 willfrxpantl in one direction, while that numbered 2 will expand and also frictioually slide uponthe `one marked 1 in a direction at right angles to the first named nimeinent. The spring marked 3 is similar to the one marked l, but shown of slightlv less thickness, the corrugations heilig parallel to those of number l, and similarly. the one marked 4 is `of slightly less thickness than the spring numbered 2, while its corrugations are substantially parallel thereto. ther springs forming the group are numbered 5 and 6.

As shown in Fig. 3, certain of the springs are assembled differently from the others,l e these being marked 7, in which a few 'of the adjoining springs Ahave the axes of their eorrugations parallel.

As shown in Fig. 4, the springs have only two corrugations each, the end springs 8A and 9 being shown of greater thickness than the next pair 10 and 11, while the springs 12 and 13 are shown still thinner.'

As shown in Fig. 5, the end springs 14 and 15 are two-ply and of slightly greater thickness than the-next pair 16 and 17, while the springs 18 and 19 are of still l'ess thickness. As shown inl Fig.v 6, the end springs 20 and 21 are three-ply, the next sets 22 andare also three-ply and of lesser thickness, while the other springs forming part of the same group, namely, '21 and 25 are still thinner. As showi'fin Fig. 7, the springs each have about only one corrugation, or a little more; the end springs 26 and 27 are of the, greatest thickness, the next pair 28 and 29 are of slightly less thickness, while the other springs 30 and 31 are thinner. I do not, however, limit myself to the arrangement of thick and thin springs, but any group may be formed as 32, the side embossed portions of the same are indicated as 33, these being provided with the slots or openings 34 as shown. The inner spring casing in general is indicated as 35, this being adapted to slide within ltheouter casing 32. The inner spring "casing is provided with four separate projections 36, each adapted to lit and slide within a corresponding groove formed by the embossment of the outer casing as shown. Two or more of these projections 3G may be provided with a stop-block :i7 secured thereto by the flush screw 38, or otherwise. vWear and strengthening plates 39 and 40 are provided on the bottoms of the insides ot the casings as shown.

Referring now to Fig. 2, this is a cross section of a portion of a particular form k,of my corrugated spring indicated 'generally as 41, the central portion 44 of each corrugation being` formed of comparatively thick material which is joined to the next cori-ligation by the thinner portion 13 as shown, the end portion of this spring heing indicated as 42, of about the same thickness as portion 44.

1 may make all thickness or I may make the end springs the thickest, the springs adjoining the end slightly thinner, and the central springs still thinner, in which case the thinner springs will first take up the pull or push with less resistance, and as the pull or push continues, this will then be taken up by these springs of the same v the spring the nextset of slightly thicker springs and finally the thickest 'will come into action, thus providing a cumulative edect.

lt will be .noted that the corrugations of the springs are arranged alternately in different directions, so that the projecting portions of the corrugations, Where these touch each other, are adapted to ride on each other on approximately straight lines. This arrangement of springs with the axes of the corrugations of one spring disposed in one direction and the axes of -the adjacent spring at an angle to said direction is a particular and' importanteature of my invention, as this provides a 'spring resistance and also a frictional resistance during the compression and release of said springs by the sliding of the vsurface ot' one spring on the adjacent spring, and there is also a further arching edect in each corrugation whereby the tensile stresses, which would otherwise be so .great as to tend to break the spring, are counteracted by the compressive `force due to the arch action, thus enabling the springs to WithrThese bending first and the Wave of lessdepth Y bending thereafter so as to make a some what cumulative act1on. 'the Waves may be regular in depth and irregular as respects their .width `or their disposition, in which case they will all act togetherwhen the plates are subject to compressive or expansive forces.

Referring* now to Figs. 8'to 1l, it will he seen that` the springs are contained lwithin the casing, the inner surface ot said casing being adapted to contact with the edges of plates and hold them in proper relativepositions adapted to resist compres; sion, and reaction when the force or Weight is removed therefrom. It Will be seen that those springs near-the ends of the casing are adapted to contact by the Whole of their side es, Whereas those between the end of the inner casing and that `portion of the outer casing which has the same diameter, are adapted to contact by those portions of their edges neartheir corners with the outer casing, as clearly shown in' Fig. 8. By

means of this construction the springs are y held in proper relation and at the same time permitted to be compressed and to expand. ln order to assemble the spring asshown in Figs. 8, 9H and ll, the shorter plates are placed on the bottom ot the casing, the spring is then placed in position as shown, the inner casing with the stop block removed is inserted in position and the stop blocks are then secured in place by means of the screws 35:5. lllhen the springs are compressed the` stop block moves Within the slot 34, and when it has reached the limit of its expansive movement, it is stopped by the contact of the stop block with the end of the slot 34.

As the stresses in a corrugated spring,

vide for this, as indicated in` Fig. 9,'by

making the material thicker at these points as shown, and as these vstresses diminish gradually toward the points of support, l( consequently diminishthe thickness of the material in these directions. this action is somewhat similar for each corrugation, the thinnestl part of my spring is not at the end contact, or bearing portions thereof, but is intermediate between the apices of the corrugations as shown. By means of thisconstruction, l provide a spring which is particularly Well adapted to its work, is economicalo` material, and adapted to produce the results desired with the use of a minimum amount yof material. 1

Although in certain cases l have shown my groups of springs in various thicknesses,

As, however,

yas heretofore explained, l may make these lcent springs angularly disposed,

all oli the same thickness as shown in certain portions of the illustrations herein, and l irish .it understood that my springs are adapted for use on wvheeled vehicles, wagons, rtrucks of railway cars, automobiles, and otherwise.

@ne of the particular 'features of my invention resides in the construction and` arrangement of groups of corrugated springs with the axes of the corrugations of adjagroups being` preferably retained in an inclosure adapted to* guide the edges of said springs and hold them in proper relation to each other. Y

Although l have shown and described my invention in considerable detail, l do not wish to be limited to the exact and specific details shown and described, but may use such substitutions, modifications or equivalents thereof, as are embraced within the scope ot' my invention, or as pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A spring comprising a yplurality of such l joining plates each provided with aplurality o parallel corrugations, the direction of the corrugations of one plate crossing that of the adjacent plate.

1. A spring comprising a group of op- `,15 posed plates each provided with a plurality of substantially parallel corrugations, thev direction of the corrugations in adjacent plates being angularly disposed with respect to each other, and means for holding and guiding the said plates by the edges thereof.

5. A spring comprising a group of plates of different thicknesses, each provided with a plurality of eorrugations, the direction of the corrugations of one plate crossing that of the direction of the corrugations of the adjoining plate, whereby cumulative and friction spring action is provided.

6. A spring comprising a group of plates,

Aeach composed of a plurality of plates provided with a plurality of parallel corrugations` one nested in the other, the direction of the eorrugations of cach of said compound plates thus formed crossing the di re'etion of the corrugations of the adjoining plate. i

'l'. A spring comprising a group ol opposed plates each provided with a plzurztility of parallel corrugations, the thigilrness of 40vsaid plates being greater at the :ipices' of insayraa the corrugations and tapering thence inboth directions between said apices.'

8. A coniggpund spring comprising a plurality ol' opposed spring plates each provided with a plurality ot corrugations, the

9. A compound spring comprising a lplurality of opposed spring plates each provided with a plurality of parallel corruga- Qtions, the direction of the corrugations of adjacent plates being arrangedcrosswise with respect to each other.

10, Acompound spring comprising a plurality of opposed spring plates each provided with a plurality of corrugatioi'is, the direction of the corrugations vofI adjacent plates bein arranged 'crosswise with respect to eac other, and means adapted to contact with the edges of the platesand maintain them in operative positions.

11i A compound spring comprising a plurality of corrugated spring plates, the direction of the corrugations of each plate crossing that of thecorrugations of the adjoining plate, a casing surrounding the edges of said plates adapted to contact with portions of said edges to guide saidv plates EBDWIN E. SLICK. Witnesses A. Dix TITTLE, PLL-'MA F. Loxosiion'n. 

